Girl 'tormented with hot water'

The jury failed to agree on a manslaughter charge against Green

The stepmother of a five-year-old girl who died from brain damage has been jailed for child cruelty.

Annastacia Williams came to Britain from Jamaica to live with her father Ken Williams, 31, but died nine months later.

The Old Bailey heard his new partner Christine Green, 25, - who Annastacia called "mummy" - was jealous.

She tormented the youngster by throwing hot water in her face and prodding her with a fork.

Annastacia was found dying from head injuries at the bottom of the stairs at their home in life in Islington, north London, in September last year.

Manslaughter charge

Green, who said the child had fallen down the stairs, was sentenced to two years for two offences of child cruelty and Williams was given two years for neglect offences after failing to stop the abuse.

The jury cleared Green of murder but failed to agree over a charge of manslaughter against her.

The charge has been ordered to lie on file.

Richard Horwell, prosecuting, told the trial: "Green repeatedly said to Williams Annastacia was too beautiful to be his child and another man must have been her father."

Nadine Richards, the wife of Williams's cousin, said Green brushed the child's teeth so hard her mouth bled and threw hot water in her face.

Post-mortem examination

Annastacia's life support machine was turned off on 13 September.

Her body was exhumed a week after she was buried when a radiologist noticed a number of injuries on x-rays.

A post-mortem examination found she had bite and fork marks on her body.

She also had a broken breast bone, and an injury to an arm caused by twisting.